Children then are now adults, carrying the legacy of fallen loved ones

An entire generation of Americans has now grown from infancy to adulthood since the tragedy occurred.

“Twenty-five years have passed, but time does not diminish what we owe those we lost,” said IAA Executive Director Mario Rodriguez. “An entire generation has now grown up in a world shaped by that day, and it falls to us to make sure they understand why Sept. 11 will never become just a date on a calendar.”

The IAA has paused on this day each year since the attack to remember victims and first responders who lost their lives at the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and United Flight 93 over Pennsylvania.

This year’s ceremony included an honor guard display with a candle and wreath-laying ceremony, vocal music from the Ben Davis High School Purple Aires, bagpipers, a bell ceremony, and a community story collection presented in partnership with the Indianapolis Public Library.

“Twenty-five years ago, the passengers of Flight 93 and the first responders who ran toward danger in New York, at the Pentagon, and across the country showed us the very best of the American spirit,” said IAA Deputy Senior Director of Public Safety Al Stovall. “Many of those first responders left behind young children who have now grown into adults, carrying their parents’ legacy forward. A quarter century later, that courage still guides how our own team trains, responds and serves the traveling public every day.”

As part of the Patriot Day ceremony, a 40-pound, 12” x 12” piece of the World Trade Center steel recovered from Ground Zero was on display in Civic Plaza throughout the week leading up to the anniversary.

For the first time, the artifact was displayed beyond the airport campus for the 25th anniversary of the attack, reaching an estimated 18,000 people. It was featured in the Indiana Repertory Theatre lobby during the theater’s production of “Come From Away” and later displayed at the Indianapolis Public Library’s Central Library and Glendale Branch. The steel will next be displayed at the Southport Branch for two weeks.

In 2011, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey presented the recovered steel to local Indianapolis public safety responders and IAA employees who assisted at the attack site in 2001. The artifact remains on display permanently at the Indy airport’s fire station 1 throughout the year.

“The Indianapolis Public Library plays a vital role in preserving knowledge and connecting people with history,” said Gregory A. Hill, Sr., chief executive officer of The Indianapolis Public Library. “We understand the importance of honoring the stories of service and resilience that emerged from September 11. I hope that by bringing this artifact into our community, we give people an opportunity to pause and reflect.”